Shinji Okazaki Confirms He Will Leave Leicester City at End of the 2018/19 Season

Leicester City striker Shinji Okazaki has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of this season after falling down the pecking order at the King Power Stadium.

Okazaki, 33, has struggled for regular minutes this season, with him starting just one Premier League game this season - a 1-1 draw against Brighton in late November - while his further 19 league appearances have all come from the bench.

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With his contract set to expire at the end of this season, the Japanese international revealed to media outlet Nikkei (as quoted by the Leicester Mercury) that he will seek pastures new at the end of the campaign.

He said: "My role at Leicester is definitely not a striker. It feels like I am seen as the second row midfielder. I feel that I am not a midfielder when I see the high ability of a professional midfielder with their skill level.

"So I have decided to leave Leicester. It is because I thought strongly that I would like to challenge next season in a place where I can play as a striker. There have been few opportunities for playing this season.

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"I will make my decision on my next destination based on ‘can I play as a striker?' It will be more interesting to play in a place where that is possible."

Okazaki is known more for his work-rate rather than his goalscoring record, with the forward netting 19 goals in 136 games for the Foxes since arriving at the club in 2015.

His first season at the club was however an unforgettable one, as he was part of the Leicester

squad that defied the odds to win the 2015/16 Premier League title, but he's admitted he's looking for a new challenge and prove he can be a club's main source of goals.

He added: "I am 33 now and that’s how I feel. It’s time to start from scratch. I am aware that I am at an age called a veteran, but I don’t feel it. Before showing leadership in a team, I would like to show my existence as a goalscorer."

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